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September 09-10, 2019 | Edinburgh, Scotland
2
nd
Global Summit on
3
rd
International Conference on
Dermatology and Cosmetology
Wound Care, Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine
Joint Event
&
Journal of Dermatology Research and Skin Care | Volume 3
Dermatol Res Skin Care, Volume 3
Study of prevalence and associated risk factors of HIV/Syphilis co-infection among
Tricycle (Keke) drivers in Port Harcourt Metropolis of Rivers State
Obioma Azuonwu
1
, Onugha Nneka Concilia
1
, Azuonwu Testmonies
1
, Akpan Roseline James
1
, Azuonwu Goodluck
2
and Anthony Augustine Uzochi
1
1
Rivers State University, Nigeria
2
University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
T
he study investigated the prevalence and associated
risk factor of HIV/Syphilis co-infection, among tricycle
(Keke) drivers in Port Harcourt Metropolis of Rivers State,
Nigeria. Convenient random sampling research design was
explored during the study population recruitment, hence a
total of 150 blood samples were collected from the subjects,
with an average age range of 20 - 55 years and also, their
demographic characteristics were also obtained through
well-structured questionnaire. Two (2) mls of venous blood
were collected from the subjects, after verbal consent was
obtained, and the blood was dispensed into a plan sample
bottle. The obtained serum after centrifugation at 2500 rpm
was used to assay for HIV and Syphilis antibodies respectively.
The rapid screening kits used for screening HIV and Syphilis
were Determine
TM
and Uni Gold
TM
(Alere Medical Co Japan;
Trinity Biotech Plc Ireland) and Syphilis Ultra rapid screening
kit (Skytec, USA). However, out of 150 subjects assayed for
HIV co-infection with syphilis, 148 (98.7 %) were negative
while 2 (1.3%) were positive and were recorded as the overall
prevalence of the study. The prevalence of syphilis found
among participants was 4 (2.7%) while that of HIV was 2
(1.3%). This study revealed a moderate high prevalence of
HIV co-infection with syphilis. Furthermore, the correlation
analysis among possible potential risk factors revealed that
Age, Education, Employment status and Access to Health
centres were not possible potential risk factors to the
infection, however, Previous cases of STD, Syphilis status and
HIV status of infection among the subjects were possible risk
factors at < 0.05, thus, it is therefore, strongly recommended
that more proactive and preventive measures should be
employed at all levels of governance to control the spread
of HIV/Syphilis co-infection in Rivers State, especially in the
rural communities where access to Health education and
functional health care facility still remains amassive challenge.
Speaker Biography
Obioma Azuonwu works in the department of medical laboratory science
and is a faculty of science at Rivers State University of Science and
Technology located at Nkpolu, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. His research interests
are in the healthcare and its allied regions.
e:
bimajacobs@yahoo.co.uk